The City of Stillwater’s new operations manager had spent the past few years commuting to Oklahoma City and Tulsa from Stillwater.He admitted, “It’s great having a position in my hometown again.”

Previously, White served as the Lean operations manager for Quad/Graphics where he led all Lean projects and initiatives in both the Stillwater and Oklahoma City plants.

After the Stillwater plant closed, he continued working at the Oklahoma City plant before becoming the continuous improvement deployment lead at Enovation Controls, LLC, in Tulsa.

“I left every morning before my family got up and was back in town by evening, so for them, they really can’t tell the difference,” he said.As the City’s operations manager, White will be responsible for directing the operations of field service and facilities management, which includes street, traffic control, parks maintenance, water distribution, wastewater collection and facilities maintenance.

“I’m excited by the City’s reorganization of these areas. There are a lot of efficiencies to be gained when you pool employees and cross train them,” White explained. “In the end, Stillwater citizens will be bettered served.”

White brings with him extensive knowledge of process improvement, including Lean Six Sigma and 5S training.“They really are simple concepts but very effective when used correctly,” he said.

His new job is a far cry from his first love—minor league baseball.

After earning a his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Greenville College in Illinois, he worked for the Oklahoma City 89ers and then was the assistant manager for the New York Mets AAA Team.

“It’s great to work for the City of Stillwater, and I look forward to serving the public,” White said.